Possession is not inherently an invasion by external evil spirits, but rather a phenomenon where an individual, driven by fear and the evasion of responsibility, experiences a splitting of the conscious mind and actively relinquishes control of the physical body.
1964 · The Early Sessions: Book 2 of The Seth MaterialAI summary (single book)
In The Early Sessions Book 2, Seth provides a very distinctive and rational perspective on the concept of "possession," or the control of the body by an external conscious entity. He not only clarifies the nature of the communication between himself and Jane (Ruburt), but also redefines the meaning of "possess/possession" from the perspectives of psychological structure and the boundaries of consciousness.
First, Seth explicitly rejects the traditional concept of coercive and invasive "possession" or "invasion." He points out that in their communication, Ruburt (Jane) is in complete control of his own organs and functions, and cooperates with Seth entirely of his own free will; "there is no invasion of any kind" here . This formulation of "voluntary cooperation" rather than "forcible possession" is a core attitude in the Seth material regarding multidimensional conscious collaboration, emphasizing the freedom and dignity of the subject's will.
Second, Seth elaborates on the psychological mechanisms needed to avoid "undisciplined, and to some extent dangerous, antics without sufficient control" . In traditional possession phenomena, there is often the danger of loss of conscious control or psychological damage. Seth points out that Ruburt can safely carry out this deep conscious connection because he simultaneously "possesses" two crucial qualities that do not cancel each other out: on the one hand, he is extremely sensitive and open to, even appreciative of, inner data; on the other hand, he possesses an ego strong enough to maintain the necessary discipline . This strong ego not only protects the communication process from psychological danger and ensures the stability of the results, but also fundamentally prevents the chaotic state of "possession" caused by lack of control .
In addition, Seth extends the concept of "possess/possession" from bodily control to the level of thoughts and intentions, breaking down the myth of physical boundaries. He points out that the ego often establishes arbitrary boundaries through fear and survival habits in order to limit itself . However, thoughts, as one of the ego's most intimate "possessions," do not actually remain within the boundaries of the physical individual . Although individuals "possess" their own thoughts and basic intentions, they cannot prevent them from spreading outward and being perceived by others, because physical barriers such as skin and bones cannot block nonphysical thought . This reinterpretation of "possession" shows that the exchange and merging of consciousness occur naturally, and that traditional "absolute possession" or "complete closure" does not exist at the nonphysical level.
In summary, in this work Seth demystifies the concept of "possession." He emphasizes that true cross-dimensional conscious collaboration is built on the medium's strong ego discipline, high degree of openness, and completely voluntary cooperation, rather than on an "invasion" against one's will ; at the same time, through the unstoppable nature of thought, he reveals that consciousness itself has the essential characteristic of transcending physical boundaries and cannot be absolutely "privately owned" or "imprisoned" by a single entity .
1968-1969 · The Early Sessions: Book 9 of The Seth MaterialAI summary (single book)
In The Early Sessions Book 9, Seth discusses the concept of "possession" in depth, revealing the psychological and energetic mechanisms behind it and clarifying many popular misunderstandings of the phenomenon.
1. The core nature and true causes of possession
Seth clearly states that most cases of possession are not forcibly caused by external "spirits" or "ghosts," although in a certain sense this form of possession does exist [chunk 8776, chunk 8777]. In fact, souls that have already left the earth are rarely responsible for this [chunk 8780].
The true causes of possession usually originate from the individual's internal psychological state:
Subjective giving up and request: A person is never possessed unless he himself asks for it [chunk 8780, chunk 8781]. This situation tends to occur when the individual loses interest in life, fears life, or is "too lazy to live out his own life inwardly" [chunk 8777, chunk 8780].
Issuing a "blank invitation": These people, who no longer want to control their own bodies, send out a "blank invite" to the outside world, allowing other conscious entities to take over the body they no longer wish to control [chunk 8777].
Unconscious blind invitation: When people engage in certain psychic games (such as table-play) out of fanaticism or enthusiasm, they are actually issuing a "blanket invitation" to all conscious entities [chunk 8780, chunk 8781]. Seth humorously warns that one should issue only "selective invitations," pay attention to the "invisible companions" one keeps, and perhaps best not play table games at all without the company of an experienced person [chunk 8781].
2. The negative catalytic effect of fear and imagination
Seth emphasizes that thoughts and emotions have a decisive influence on the emergence of possession states:
Fear creates similar states: Do not let the imagination develop in the direction of "possession" [chunk 8776, chunk 8777]. The fear of possession itself creates a state that leads to a "semblance" or "appearance" similar to possession [chunk 8776, chunk 8777].
The inducing effect of worry: Worry alone can induce or reproduce a state similar to the early stages of possession [chunk 8780].
3. Preventing possession and maintaining self-control
Seth gives specific advice for avoiding possession, emphasizing the importance of individual self-control:
Maintain self-dominance: As long as the individual is in complete control of himself, there is no need at all to fear being possessed [chunk 8777, chunk 8780].
Direct energy outward: Through meditation and the development and use of healing abilities, the individual's energy can be directed outward. In this state, the individual has more control, and therefore need not worry about possession [chunk 8776, chunk 8780].
4. Jane's practical experience and the presentation of the phenomenon
The book also records specific examples of Jane's interaction with external consciousness in trance and channeling states, providing an observational perspective for understanding possession or conscious takeover:
Direct emotional experience and identity substitution: In one trance, Jane experienced an intense direct emotional experience. She felt that she was not an observer, but directly "became" a girl driving in a car accident, and cried out and spoke in the girl's voice (such as "I was driving... the brakes were bad..."), and even felt afraid when she opened her eyes, realizing that "she (that girl) should not be here" [chunk 8560].
The opening of a conscious channel and the yielding of personality: Before another session, Jane sat quietly and moved her lips silently, trying to find a suitable way for "another personality" to enter through her [chunk 8650]. Then her voice changed markedly (becoming high-pitched, clear, distant, and without gender coloring), indicating that she had successfully yielded control of the body to allow Seth or another conscious entity to express itself [chunk 8650].
1970-1971 · Seth Speaks: The Eternal Validity of the SoulAI summary (single book)
In these excerpts from Seth Speaks, although the term "possession" is not directly used, the text elaborates in detail on the interactive relationships among consciousness and the body, out-of-body states, and the projection of consciousness and external forms, which constitute the core mechanisms for understanding how consciousness controls, leaves, or influences the body. First, the essential connection between the body and consciousness: the body is not a completely continuous, permanent entity, but is created and maintained by psychic energy and intense emotional focus, and it actually exists in a constant pulsating state of appearing and disappearing . Consciousness is not a product of the body, but human conscious memory has a strong connection with perception within the body . Second, the "out-of-body" state of consciousness and the mechanism by which the body is left behind: the spirit does not abandon the body for long periods . During nightly sleep or "out-of-body" experiences, the part of consciousness oriented toward the body remains within it, while the higher intuitive centers (the "absent" part) are activated and leave the body to participate in other activities . This out-of-body state cannot be directly detected through brainwave patterns; only at the moment of leaving and returning may special patterns appear . Third, thought-forms and the projection of "apparitions": thoughts, emotions, and desires can create forms possessing energy. When an individual intensely misses something or desperately wants to go to another place, his or her "apparition" or "thought-form" is projected there, whether or not the individual is aware of it . For example, certain "ghosts" that repeat specific behaviors in the physical environment are actually only "thought-forms" emitted by survivors out of deep anxiety; their entire consciousness is not present, and the personality itself is safe and intact elsewhere . Fourth, assistance and guidance from external conscious entities: in the process of projection of consciousness or of not returning to the body, there are external assisting forces. A class of personalities called "guardians of honor" (composed of living or dead people; living people carry out this activity during sleep out-of-body states) are always ready to assist those who do not return to the body, helping them become familiar with the sensations of projection . In addition, in the most protected areas of sleep, "Speakers" also act as teachers and guides, transmitting concepts to consciousnesses that actively participate in action . Fifth, consciousness as a tool for the soul's turning: consciousness is not the self itself, but an attribute and tool belonging to the soul, which can be turned in many directions . By learning and mastering the various levels of consciousness, the individual during sleep will no longer be involuntarily swept into other stages of consciousness, but will be able to understand and direct these activities, thereby truly and consciously choosing to perceive physical reality or other realities .
Mike's commentary (Chinese)Mike's commentary
The Nature of Personal Reality · Chapter 64 related passages in this chapter
In Seth's philosophy, "possession" is demystified. Seth explicitly points out that the phenomenon of coercive and invasive external "evil spirits" or "departed souls" forcibly invading and controlling another person's body in the traditional sense does not exist. The essence of possession is a splitting of the individual's conscious mind, a projection of beliefs, or a phenomenon where an individual, having lost interest in life or developed fear, actively or unconsciously relinquishes self-control and issues a "blank invitation" to the outside, allowing other consciousness entities to take over the body. True interdimensional cooperation of consciousness (such as the channeling of Seth by Jane) is built upon the subject's complete willingness, high degree of openness, and strong ego discipline, rather than an "invasion" against one's will.
2. Key Expositions
(1) The Psychological and Energetic Mechanisms of Possession: Active Relinquishment and the "Blank Invitation"
Seth points out that the true cause of the vast majority of possession cases stems from the individual's internal psychological state, rather than forcible domination by external spirits. Souls who have already departed the earth are rarely responsible for this. A person is never possessed unless they themselves make the request. When individuals feel fear toward life, lose interest, or are "too lazy to live their own lives from within," they issue a "blank invitation" to the outside, allowing other consciousness entities to take over the body they no longer wish to control. Furthermore, when engaging in channeling games (such as table-tipping) out of fanaticism, people are actually issuing a "blanket invitation" to all consciousness entities.
Fear and emotions play a decisive role in this. The fear and anxiety of possession itself will create a state that induces or replicates a "semblance" or initial stage resembling possession. Conversely, as long as individuals remain in complete control of themselves and learn to direct energy outward through meditation and developing healing abilities, they have absolutely no need to fear being possessed. In practice, Jane, while in a trance state, had directly experienced becoming another girl from a car accident and speaking in her voice, or allowing other consciousness entities to express themselves by relinquishing control of her physical body, demonstrating the actual process of opening consciousness channels and the yielding of personality.
(2) The Splitting of the Conscious Mind and the "Transfer of Power" to Evade Responsibility
From a psychological structure perspective, the phenomenon of "possession" or a "secondary personality" is a classic case of the splitting of the conscious mind, illustrating the power of beliefs and the conflict that arises when an individual refuses to take responsibility for their own thoughts. This splitting does not begin in the inner self, but unfolds at the level of the conscious mind. When individuals harbor beliefs they cannot face or accept, a mental or physical "division" occurs.
Such phenomena are often "substitute activities" carried out by individuals to evade responsibility. For example, in the case of Augustus, the primary personality, due to feelings of worthlessness, split off a strong secondary personality, and when performing outrageous acts, expressed repressed desires through this "game of hide-and-seek" while exempting themselves from moral responsibility. In the case of Dineen, the individual, feeling completely powerless, transferred their own power to others and firmly believed they were controlled by the devil, which represents a severe relinquishment of their own mental and biological integrity. When tools like automatic writing bring forth previously unacceptable beliefs, if the individual accepts the concept of "demonic possession," they can shift the responsibility to "another entity," thereby avoiding a deep examination of their own mind.
(3) Consciousness's "Inhabitation" of the Body and the Nature of Multidimensional Cooperation
Seth extends the concept of "possessing" from body control to a broader level. First, the "possession" or control of the body by consciousness is not a forceful attachment achieved all at once, but a complex process of repeated rehearsal, gradual adaptation, and learning within dreams. Second, the operation of the body is not forcibly controlled by a single external entity, but is the result of highly coordinated co-creation among all the "units of consciousness" that compose the body.
In healthy interdimensional cooperation of consciousness, such as the channeling of Seth by Jane (Ruburt), there is no invasion of any kind. Ruburt was able to safely make deep connections of consciousness because he possessed both an extreme sensitivity and openness to inner data, and an ego strong enough to maintain discipline, thereby avoiding psychological dangers and precluding uncontrolled, chaotic "possession".
3. Evolutionary Context
Seth's exposition of the concept of "possession" presents an evolutionary and deepening trajectory from "phenomenological clarification and safety mechanisms" to "psychodynamic analysis," and finally to "multidimensional ontology of consciousness":
In The Early Sessions, Book 2 (1964), Seth focuses on clarifying the non-invasive nature of his channeling with Jane, emphasizing that the medium's "strong ego" and "discipline" are key to guarding against dangerous possession, and first proposes the view that thoughts cannot be absolutely "possessed" by physical boundaries.
By The Early Sessions, Book 9 (1968–1969), Seth begins to systematically analyze the psychological causes of possession, pointing out that its core lies in the individual's "active relinquishment" and "blank invitation," and offers specific preventive advice.
In The Nature of Personal Reality (1972–1973), Seth fully integrates this phenomenon into the framework of "beliefs creating reality," pointing out that possession and demonic possession are essentially splittings at the level of the conscious mind—a "transfer of power" and "substitute activity" carried out by individuals to evade responsibility, the solution to which must return to the conscious mind to examine beliefs.
Finally, in Dreams, "Evolution" and Value Fulfillment, Volume 1 (1979–1980), Seth elevates the concept of "possessing." No longer confined to pathological possession, he explores how consciousness rehearses through dreams to "inhabit" and "manipulate" the body, and how atoms and molecules themselves "possess" a divine "silent knowing". In this stage, the "possession" of the physical body by consciousness is viewed as a temporary vehicle for creative expression, revealing the continuity of subjective life.
4. Relationship with Related Concepts
Conscious Mind and Ego: A strong ego and a clear conscious mind are safety guarantees against chaotic possession. Possession and secondary personality splitting do not begin in the inner self, but unfold at the level of the conscious mind due to unexamined beliefs.
Beliefs: Beliefs are the decisive force in the phenomenon of "possession." Believing that one is controlled by the devil or is powerless directly leads to the transfer of power and the illusion of demonic possession.
Out-of-Body State and Projection of Consciousness: During astral projection or sleep, the portion of consciousness oriented toward the physical body remains behind, while the higher intuitive centers depart. Intense anxiety may project "thought-forms" or "illusions," which are not true possession; the personality itself remains intact elsewhere.
Essential Connection Between the Physical Body and Consciousness: The physical body is a pulsating entity created and maintained by psychic energy and intense emotional focus, and human memory is strongly linked to bodily perception. The spirit body does not abandon the physical body for long periods, and consciousness, as a turning tool of the soul, can be trained to consciously choose to perceive different realities.
Units of Consciousness: The operation of the body is not forcibly controlled by a single entity, but is the result of highly coordinated co-creation among all the "units of consciousness" that compose the body, redefining the relationship of consciousness "possessing" the body.
5. Representative Original Quotations
"There is no invasion of any kind. Ruburt is in complete control of his organs and functions at all times... This is cooperation with me of his own free will."
"A person is never possessed unless he himself makes the request... These people who no longer wish to control their own bodies issue a 'blank invitation' to the outside, allowing other consciousness entities to take over."
"'Possession' or the phenomenon of a secondary personality is a classic case of the splitting of the conscious mind, perfectly illustrating the power of beliefs and the conflict that occurs when a person refuses to take responsibility for his own thoughts."
"No computer... can compare with the silent knowing 'possessed' by the very atoms and molecules that compose the instrument."